Traffic curbs on highway in Kanpur lifted; sources say move after letter by firm supplying sand for Ram Temple

Kanpur: The district administration here on Thursday lifted restrictions on the movement of heavy vehicles on the Naubasta-Hamirpur National Highway, officials said.

Official sources claimed the decision came after a company supplying construction materials for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya complained that traffic diversion on the highway might affect the construction schedule of the temple.

Manoj Singhal, the director of Santosh Enterprises which is supplying sand for the temple construction, claimed that he had written a letter to the police commissioner on July 3 in this regard.

Kanpur Police Commissioner B J Jogdand as well as Divisional Commissioner Lokesh M denied having received any such letter.

The purported letter which has been circulating on social media stated that about 100 truckloads of manufactured sand was needed daily for the temple construction.

But a diversion of heavy traffic on the Naubasta-Hamirpur Highway leading to the change in the route of heavy vehicles was causing severe traffic jams. As such vehicles carrying construction material are taking a long time to reach the temple construction site, it said.

The letter also stated that if the situation was not restored soon, it will have an impact on the completion of the construction work within the stipulated time.

A senior official who did not wish to be named said that taking note of the letter, the Kanpur police chief held a closed-door meeting and decided to restore the movement of heavy vehicles on the national highway.

Talking to PTI, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Raveena Tyagi confirmed that all traffic restrictions on the national highway have been put off.

"We were called by the police commissioner and after proper deliberations, the decision to lift traffic restrictions on the national highway was taken," she added.

Police Commissioner Jogdand said the diversions for heavy vehicles were imposed on the Naubasta-Hamirpur national highway about 10 days ago. "Entry of heavy vehicles had been banned on the national highway and diverted to state highways," he said.

Earlier, Jogdand had said the Naubasta-Hamirpur road in Kanpur has been closed since June 27 because of construction work of the metro rail project.

But if this has led to such a big problem and if no other option is available, the traffic restriction will have to be lifted soon, he had said.

Kanpur's Divisional Commissioner, Lokesh M said, "I and the district magistrate are available to extend all possible help to all those ferrying the construction or any other material for Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

"We will ensure that vehicles ferrying material for the temple can pass without any inconvenience," he added.

The construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya is scheduled to be completed by December this year and opened for devotees on January 24.